Resellers, military and government purchasing agents, and supply managers for various industries and manufacturing plants understand the process for ordering supplies. For this reason, there are a number of people in the country who can relate to the challenges that many must be feeling during the recent government shut down. In fact, wholesale industrial supplies often must be ordered weeks, if not months, in advance, so while some of these partially operating government agencies might have the supplies that they need now, they may be looking at problems months from now.
From Castrol lubricants that are used by aeronautical companies to lubricant oil distributors that serve a number of industries, ordering, shipment, and payment processes have likely been interrupted in what is now the longest government shut down.
Wholesale Industrial Supplies Are Often Ordered Months and Years in Advance
If you have ever played a role in the supply ordering for a military agency or a large civilian company then you likely understand the importance of following a schedule. From looking at supply usage from the last five years, for example, inventory managers attempt to order the correct amount of supplies for future use. Not wanting to over or under budget, in fact, these suppliers often find themselves relying on a number of prediction indicators to make sure that they always have the right amount of supplies on hand. In the event of a government shutdown, however, some of these supply managers can find themselves wondering if they will be able to keep up with the scheduled ordering and delivery processes.
If these government agencies rely on specific kinds of specialty lubricants that have shorter shelf lives, for instance, it is important to make sure that timely orders are made so that problems do not occur. Cooling, lubrication, chip removal, and corrosion control are the four main functions of metalworking fluids, but everyone of these can have a different shelf life. In addition, not all warehouses have enough storage to handle more than three to four months of needed supplies.
A 2016 report projected that the metalworking fluids market will reach $9.74 billion by 2020. It will be interesting, however, to see how close these predictions are as the government shutdown lingers into its fourth week.
Is Your Ordering Process Being Affected by the Recent Government Shutdown?
